As students made their way back to school for the first day of the academic year, officials gathered at Southeast 113th Street and Stark Street to celebrate the installation of pedestrian flashing beacons at five busy East Portland intersections.

The new beacons are the first of 18 new beacons to be installed as part of a $1.9 million project to address pedestrian safety improvements in East Portland.

The beacons flash yellow when a pedestrian pushes a button, which increases the likelihood that a motorists will stop for a pedestrian. The project is funded by state general fund dollars.